As the clock ticks down the final minutes of 2009 I’m sure many of you will think about the last year in retrospect. You may have ask yourself:
“How did this year fly by so fast?"
“Who am I going to kiss at 12:00?”
“Why didn’t I accomplish my last years resolution of ___________? "
“Why am I 10 lbs heavier this year than last?"
“Why is my bench max still more than my deadlift?”
"Why didn't I talk to that hot girl at the company Christmas party?"
Then this retrospective view may turn into self improvement and annual ritual of making resolutions. Many people do this and it is fine if it works for you. People swear to themselves that:
“This is the year that (insert life changes you want to make)!”
Everyone wants to transform their lives and better themselves. People want to lose weight, get a better job, make more money, etc. Over this next week millions of people will evaluate their lives and what they want their resolutions to be. They will make their resolutions (many already have) and sadly many will fail.
Now, let me let you in on a little secret. I do not like New Years resolutions nor do I make them. Instead I set goals. The goals are short term and some long term but all are for the next year. I evaluate my life and break it down to different categories.
For me personally it is:
1. Business
2. Financial
3. Training
4. Relationship
5. Education
Once I establish these headings I then come up with my goals for each heading. Some may have only a couple goals and some may have 8 or more. I write these goals down (actually type them in a Word document). When writing something of this nature down it makes it more “concrete” and you are more likely to remember them and work towards them.
After I write my goals out I decide my plan of action. Goals just don’t obtain themselves. They all take steps, some big and some small, but you have to take some action. Figure out what steps it will take to reach your destination. You wouldn't get in your car and start driving to a destination without planning your route first. If you did you would get lost and never make it. So what makes you think you can reach a goal without proper planning first? Put all you have into these endeavors, stay positive and look at them often (everyday). You may be surprised when you realize how many of these things will happen if you put your mind to it.
And when the last days approach of 2010 look at them one last time. You will be very happy to see most, if not all have been reached.
Good luck! Have a safe and Happy New Year!
Got any goals you want to share? Any tips? Thoughts? Questions? Let me know in the comments below!
And don't drink too much and be "That Guy" tonight! (see below)
2 comments:
Awesome post! I completely agree with what you said.
It's too bad that we must make a distinction between New Year's Resolutions and goals. Personally, I have never done New Year's Resolutions until last January 2009. And, I go thinking that they're just goals with a fancy term implying that they are what I want to achieve during the year of 2010. And, as in the last few weeks, after talking with a few friends about New Year's Resolutions, I have come to a realization that most people keep the same ones for years! I wish my friends could think of them as synonyms of goals.
Anyways, I've been working on my list of goals for 2010 and will revisit my spreadsheet sometimes tonight so that I start off the year with a bang.
By the way, in case you're wondering, I'm sure that I've completed 75% to 80% of my list of New Year's Resolutions for 2009. I'm thrilled with the changes that I've made in my life and that I'm a happier guy now than I was a year ago. I hope you feel the same with your own goals.
Lastly, I think it's helpful to realize how much you've achieved in the last ten years. Remember ten years ago, we were all worried about Y2K?! It's hard to believe that I was about to enter my final semester of high school at this time ten years ago. I can tell you that if you asked me 10 years ago, I had no ideas that I would have done all the things that I did in the last ten years: graduate from high school, studied abroad twice, did a French immersion program at out-of-province location, got three university degrees and one diploma; travelled to Europe three times, different parts of Canada and USA, and to Asia once; lived on my own and then take care of one of my parents after surviving a stroke; buying a home; paying off my student loans and a car; surviving a car accident and going into debt again to get a new car; met some great people; and started working towards on making a better version of myself by focusing on myself. I'm sure I'm forgetting some things, but that's a lot of things to experience in 10 years!
Where will I be in 10 years? I don't know, but I do hope I'll be a better me.
@ Jonathan - Thanks man.
It is sad the way some people think. The majority of people. Mediocracy is the way for most.
Congrats on last years success of reaching your goals! Thats a huge percent. I bet it makes you look for bigger and more challenging goals. I know it does for me.
It is awesome to think back. Small decisions that don't seem lke much make a huge impact on your life. That is a ton of life experiences you have had.
You will be a better you in 10 years. No doubt.
Good luck on all life's endeavors and your goals for 2010!
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